Structural empowerment and serving culture as determinants of organizational identification and turnover intention

Purpose - This paper aims to provide an alternative explanation for how organizations could increase levels of organizational identification, in turn reducing employee turnover intention. Specifically, the study empirically tests the joint effect of two types of organizational resources – structural empowerment and serving culture (SE*SC) – on employee identification. Moreover, it investigates the mediating effect of organizational identification on the relationship between the joint effect (SE*SC) and turnover intention. Design/methodology/approach - The data were collected in 2018 from employees working in a higher education institution located in the USA. Structural equation modeling was used to test the proposed model. Findings - Statistical analysis reveals the positive joint effect (SE*SC) on organizational identification and the mediating effect of identification on the relationship between the joint effect (SE*SC) and turnover intention. Originality/value - This study contributes to past research by revealing a new important mechanism. Business organizations could increase levels of employee identification and, in turn, reduce turnover by providing empowering resources that allow employees to successfully complete their jobs. Moreover, the study also contributes to practice by providing some recommendations that managers may implement to improve internal effectiveness in their respective organizations.